China has led the world in nonferrous metals output for five years in a row, national news agency Xinhua reported Thursday, quoting sources with the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNMIA).

The country's output of 10 main nonferrous metals, including copper, aluminium, nickel, lead, zinc and magnesium, surged 17.48% year on year to 19.17 million mt in 2006.

China produced 3 million mt of copper, 9.35 million mt of electrolytic aluminium, 2.74 million mt of lead and 3.15 million mt of zinc in 2006.

Output of nine nonferrous metals – excluding nickel – topped the world.

Profits of the country's main nonferrous metals companies soared 99.5% to Yuan 110 billion ($14.1 billion) in 2006.

In 2007, the country's nonferrous metals output will increase rapidly, with prices remaining at a high level due to rising demand, said Kang Yi, the CNMIA chairman.